The National Affairs Desk of Glorious Noise

God damn, Andrew Sullivan is cool. In this perfectly concise and thoughtful snippet on abortion, Sullivan captures what so many pro-choicers believe, himself included. And he frames it in what used to be a "conservative" argument:

...the word 'conservative' has been hijacked by religious extremists. I find the attempt of the government to police a woman's body in the first stages of pregnancy to be a deeply unconservative idea. I find the absolutist stance of those who say a zygote is as morally significant as an infant lacking in the moderation and common sense that has long been the hallmark of conservatism.

Casting all pro-choicers as "baby killers" reduces the debate to its most base elements. But, as Sullivan notes in his post, "it sells."

I disagree with Hitchens and Sullivan often, but I fully respect and appreciate their abilities to communicate their position without resorting to tired talking points and cultural or racial bating. The Rush Limbaughs,Ann Coulters, Michelle Malkins, and Laura Ingrahams of the world could learn a lot from these cats--that is if they were at all interested in intellectual honesty.

It's always refreshing to hear any perspective (whether or not it is agreeable to you) without pretensions of some mythical biblical/constitutional or "workingman's" bedrock but rather an honest appraisal of an issue. Any hint of an independent cast of mind is a big credibility-raiser.

Whether it is the pretensions of "Throw it at the wall and see what sticks"-Michael Mooreisms (who at least can at times laugh at himself), the pat, soul-dead bloviations of Limbaugh, or the masquerade of intellect standing in for cruel prejudice that is Ann Coulter, reading the likes of Sullivan and Hitchens is often a warm bath of sense--even when they seem to be going up the primrose path.

I swear, if I have to read one more brain dead moron who wants to paint Islam as inimical to "everything we hold dear"...I mean, it would be like shooting fish in a barrel to show these dopes the error of their ways--but they couldn't care less!